MANILA, Philippines – Francis Lopez and Harold Alarcon took over in the third quarter as UP scored a lopsided 97-67 win over La Salle in Game 1 of the UAAP Season 86 men’s basketball finals at the Mall of Asia Arena on Wednesday, November 29.

Lopez and Alarcon combined for 17 points in a key third period that saw the Fighting Maroons outscore the Green Archers 24-14 en route to gaining a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three championship series.

Alarcon finished with a game-high 21 points on an efficient 6-of-9 shooting as UP ended the nine-game winning streak of La Salle to zero in on reclaiming the UAAP title it won in Season 84.

Lopez netted a double-double of 15 points and 11 rebounds.

Fourth quarter

• FINAL: UP dominates La Salle in Game 1, 97-67
• UP 97-67: Terrence Fortea for three
• UP 94-67: Mark Belmonte inside
• UP 92-67: Kevin Quiambao 2/2 at the stripe
• UP 92-65: Harold Alarcon again
• UP 90-65: Luis Pablo spins and sinks the hook shot
• UP 88-65: Luis Pablo split
• UP 87-65: Harold Alarcon 2/2 at the line
• UP 85-65: Janjan Felicilda restores a 20-point lead for the Fighting Maroons
• UP 83-65: EJ Gollena back-to-back baskets
• UP 83-63: EJ Gollena inside
• UP 83-61: Harold Alarcon floats it in
• UP 81-61: Michael Phillips completes the three-point play
• UP 81-58: Michael Phillips dunk
• UP 81-56: Aldous Torculas skies for the putback slam
• UP 79-56: Malick Diouf hook shot
• UP 77-56: Joaqui Manuel splits his free throws

Third quarter

• END OF 3Q: Francis Lopez and Harold Alarcon shine in the third quarter as UP leads 77-55
• UP 77-55: Jonnel Policarpio putback
• UP 77-53: CJ Cansino for three
• UP 74-53: Harold Alarcon with another perfect trip to the line
• UP 72-53: Evan Nelle skies for the contested layup
• UP 72-51: Janjan Felicilda fastbreak layup
• UP 70-51: Harold Alarcon ices his freebies
• UP 68-51: CJ Austria easy deuce
• UP 68-49: Harold Alarcon 1/2 at the stripe
• UP 67-49: Harold Alarcon and-one
• UP 64-49: Evan Nelle gets the bucket to go
• UP 64-47: Kevin Quiambao midrange jumper
• UP 64-45: Francis Lopez for three
• UP 61-45: Francis Lopez with the bang and the bucket
• UP 59-45: Earl Abadam strong move inside
• UP 59-43: Gerry Abadiano banks it in
• UP 57-43: Michael Phillips perfect at the line
• UP 57-41: Francis Lopez again
• UP 55-41: Francis Lopez scores

Halftime performers

• JD Cagulangan (UP) – 11 points, 3 assists
• Gerry Abadiano (UP) – 8 points, 2 steals
• Malick Diouf (UP) – 7 points, 11 rebounds
• Michael Phillips (La Salle) – 12 points, 4 rebounds
• Kevin Quiambao (La Salle) – 7 points, 3 rebounds
• Mark Nonoy (La Salle) – 5 points

Second quarter

• END OF 2Q: JD Cagulangan beats the halftime buzzer with a trey as UP takes a 53-41 lead
• UP 50-41: Gerry Abadiano with another bucket
• UP 48-41: Aldous Torculas free throws
• UP 46-41: Michael Phillips inside
• UP 46-39: Harold Alarcon coast-to-coast
• UP 44-39: JD Cagulangan from beyond the arc
• UP 41-39: Michael Phillips with another free throw split
• UP 41-38: Raven Cortez with the putback
• UP 41-36: Michael Phillips splits his foul shots
• UP 41-35: Francis Lopez buries the trey
• UP 38-35: Evan Nelle spins and sinks the turnaround jumper
• UP 38-33: Kevin Quiambao dials up from deep
• UP 38-30: Terrence Fortea 2/2 at the line
• UP 36-30: Michael Phillips again
• UP 36-28: Aldous Torculas lets the triple fly
• UP 33-28: Michael Phillips hook shot
• UP 33-26: Aldous Torculas two-handed jam
• UP 31-26: Malick Diouf 1/2 with his free throws
• UP 30-26: Michael Phillips powers his way inside
• UP 30-24: Gerry Abadiano turns a steal into an easy deuce

First quarter

• END OF 1Q: UP grabs a 28-24 lead after a high-scoring opening quarter
• UP 28-24: CJ Cansino long two
• UP 26-24: Mark Belmonte for three
• LA SALLE 24-23: Mark Nonoy converts the fastbreak layup
• UP 23-22: CJ Austria goes back-to-back
• UP 23-20: CJ Austria with his first basket of the game
• UP 23-18: Francis Lopez 1/2 at the stripe
• UP 22-18: Malick Diouf with the flush
• UP 20-18: Joshua David answers for La Salle
• UP 20-16: Gerry Abadiano with another pull-up jumper
• UP 18-16: Mark Nonoy completes the three-point play
• UP 18-13: JD Cagulangan 2/2 at the line
• UP 16-13: Gerry Abadiano pulls up for the jumper
• UP 14-13: Kevin Quiambao inside
• UP 14-11: Malick Diouf with another putback
• UP 12-11: Francis Lopez cans his free throws after a botched dunk
• LA SALLE 11-10: Malick Diouf tips it in
• LA SALLE 11-8: Michael Phillips slams home the two-handed slam over Malick Diouf
• LA SALLE 9-8: Francis Escandor drains the corner trey
• UP 8-6: Evan Nelle scores
• UP 8-4: JD Cagulangan splits his freebies
• UP 7-4: Raven Cortez ices his foul shots
• UP 7-2: Harold Alarcon for three
• UP 4-2: Kevin Quiambao puts La Salle on the board
• UP 4-0: Harold Alarcon steal and layup
• UP 2-0: JD Cagulangan opens the scoring with a layup

Starters

• UP – JD Cagulangan, Harold Alarcon, Malick Diouf, Reyland Torres, Francis Lopez
• La Salle – Evan Nelle, Francis Escandor, Raven Cortez, Michael Phillips, Kevin Quiambao

Preview

Even as the UP Fighting Maroons seek their second UAAP championship in three seasons, the La Salle Green Archers hardly see themselves as the underdogs. 

The Archers have every reason to be confident after all, as they head into the best-of-three title series riding on a nine-game winning streak. 

“La Salle is not an underdog. It’s just a matter of giving the players that freedom to really flourish and to be at their natural best,” said first-year La Salle coach Topex Robinson.

“Everybody from the start knows their natural roles. The clarity of roles was evident from the onset. Everybody knows that these guys will win games for us, and these guys will also lose games for us.”

Game 1 tips off at 6 pm on Wednesday, November 29, at the Mall of Asia Arena. (SCHEDULE: UAAP Season 86 basketball)

The historic showdown sees UP and La Salle colliding in the men’s basketball finals for the first time – a duel that also features traditional and new powerhouses.

But just like Robinson, UP coach Goldwin Monteverde is focused more on his crew bannered by Malick Diouf, CJ Cansino, and rookie sensation Francis Lopez.

“Like I said, whatever comes through, we have to prepare just to fight over every challenges,” said Monteverde. “Wherever that leads us, at least we’re thankful. But it’s not yet done.”

Led by MVP frontrunner Kevin Quiambao, Evan Nelle, Mark Nonoy, and Mike Phillips, the streaking Archers swept the second round of eliminations before routing the NU Bulldogs, 97-73, in the Final Four.

The Maroons also needed just one game to dethrone the Ateneo Blue Eagles, 57-46, in the semifinals after wrapping up the eliminations as the No. 1 team.

“It’s just a result of our hard work,” said Monteverde.

With the two squads splitting their two meetings this season – as both equally boast talented and in-sync crews – the league’s latest rivalry may just be as unpredictable as it’s thrilling. – Rappler.com